Dáil debates

Tuesday, 26 March 2019

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate

Hospital Facilities

7:00 pm

Photo of Éamon Ó CuívÉamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Ó 2011 níl ach ceann de na seomraí obráide i bPáirc Mhuirlinne ag obair agus tá scuainne mór daoine ag fanacht anois ar chóir leighis agus níl tada á dhéanamh faoi ach geallúintí folmha nach bhfuil á chomhlíonadh. Tá sé in am ag an HSE agus ag an Aire a dhéanamh cinnte de go bhfuil na saoráidí seo ar fáil i nGaillimh. Tá iontas orm nach bhfuil siad ar fáil i nGaillimh.

There is an extraordinary situation in Galway where some 2,000 patients in need of an orthopaedic operation who have been seen by a consultant are awaiting the procedure. It is the worst backlog I have ever seen in my time in politics and happening because there is a problem with the roof at Merlin Park hospital. Instead of having two operating theatres, only one is operable. There was supposed to be a quick solution, including the provision of temporary buildings. Therefore, I find it difficult to understand why the building has not been repaired by now.

In the meantime, the roof of the operating theatre in Merlin Park cannot be fixed to allow operations to take place. A temporary modular building cannot be put in as promised to allow operations to take place. The patients do not care how it is done. They just want it done.

Many years ago when I was selling fencing stakes, I once ran out of them. Somebody rang me looking for fencing stakes. When I started giving excuses, they said something to me that has stuck in my mind since. They said: "Éamon, I'm not looking for excuses. I'm looking for fencing stakes." The people in Galway are looking for orthopaedic procedures, not excuses. Some 2,000 people are in pain waiting for services such as hip and knee procedures, injections that have to be done in an operating theatre, operations on backs etc. They want to know when they will be put out of their pain and misery and have the service provided.

The past eight years have been characterised by more reports, more investigations and more procedures except for the procedures that are not being done, namely, the actual operations. We have had every other kind of procedure to prevent from happening the procedures we need to happen - those operations on patients that need to be done to take them out of their misery and let them get on with their lives. As the Minister of State knows, people waiting in pain often take a large number of painkillers etc. which can have its own effect on the body.

I hope the Minister of State has good news for me and a firm date for when we will start tackling these waiting lists, ensuring that the people of Galway and the west in general have a very basic service.

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